Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
5-12 Instruments and Controls
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 for
important safety information. The
instrument panel has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
United States
Canada
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds as a system check. If you use
remote start, if equipped, to start the
vehicle, you may not see the system
check. Then, after several seconds,
the status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or the on or off symbol
to let you know the status of the
front outboard passenger frontal
airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag is
allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑11 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light will come on briefly when
the ignition is turned on, and the
engine is not running, as a check to
show it is working.
Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Vehicle
Personalization
The audio system controls are used
to access the personalization
menus for customizing vehicle
features.
CONFIG (Configuration):Press to
access the Configuration
Settings menu.
MENU/TUNE: Turn to scroll
through the menus. Press to enter
the menus and select the menu
items.
/BACK: Press to exit or move
backward in a menu.
Entering the Personalization
Menus
1. Press CONFIG to access the
Configuration Settings menu.
2. Turn the MENU/TUNE knob to highlight Vehicle Settings.
3. Press MENU/TUNE to select the Vehicle Settings menu. The following list of menu items may
be available:
.Comfort and Convenience
.Climate and Air Quality
.Language
.Lighting
.Power Door Locks
.Remote Lock, Unlock, Start
.Return to Factory Settings
Turn the MENU/TUNE knob to
highlight the menu. Press MENU/
TUNE to select it. Each of the
menus is detailed in the following
information.
Comfort and Convenience
Select the Comfort and
Convenience menu and the
following will be displayed:
.Chime Volume
.Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear Chime Volume
This allows selection of the chime
volume level.
Press MENU/TUNE when Chime
Volume is highlighted. Turn the
MENU/TUNE knob to select Normal
or High. Press MENU/TUNE to
confirm and go back to the
last menu.
Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear
When on and the vehicle on, this
feature will turn the rear wipers on
when the vehicle is placed in
R (Reverse) when the front wipers
are on.
Press MENU/TUNE when Auto
Wipe in Reverse Gear is
highlighted. Turn the MENU/TUNE
knob to select On or Off. Press
MENU/TUNE to confirm and go
back to the last menu.
Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-29
Delayed Door Lock
When on, this feature will delay
the locking of the doors until
five seconds after the last door is
closed. Three chimes will signal that
delayed locking is in use. Pressing
either
QorKon the RKE
transmitter twice will override the
delayed locking feature and
immediately lock all of the doors.
Press MENU/TUNE when Delayed
Door Lock is highlighted. Turn the
MENU/TUNE knob to select On or
Off. Press MENU/TUNE to confirm
and go back to the last menu.
Remote Lock, Unlock, Start
Select Remote Lock, Unlock, Start
and the following will be displayed:
.Remote Unlock Feedback
.Remote Lock Feedback
.Remote Door Unlock Remote Unlock Feedback
When on, the exterior lamps will
flash when unlocking the vehicle
with the RKE transmitter.
Press MENU/TUNE when Remote
Unlock Feedback is highlighted.
Turn the MENU/TUNE knob to
select On or Off. Press MENU/
TUNE to confirm and go back to
the last menu.
Remote Lock Feedback
This allows selection of what type of
feedback is given when locking the
vehicle with the RKE transmitter.
Press MENU/TUNE when Remote
Lock Feedback is highlighted. Turn
the MENU/TUNE knob to select
Lights and Horn, Lights Only, Horn
Only, or Off. Press MENU/TUNE to
confirm and go back to the
last menu.
Remote Door Unlock
This allows selection of which doors
will unlock when pressing
Kon the
RKE transmitter.
Press MENU/TUNE when Remote
Door Unlock is highlighted. Turn the
MENU/TUNE knob to select All
Doors or Driver Door Only. When
set to Driver Door Only, the driver
door will unlock the first time
Kis
pressed and all doors will unlock
when
Kis pressed a second time.
When set to All Doors, all of the
doors will unlock at the first press of
K. Press MENU/TUNE to confirm
and go back to the last menu.
Return to Factory Settings
Select Return to Factory Settings
to return all of the vehicle
personalization to the default
settings. Turn the MENU/TUNE
knob to select Yes or No. Press
MENU/TUNE to confirm and go
back to the last menu.
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Proposition 65
Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑31.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
14-4 OnStar
Connections
OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows
calls to be made and received from
the vehicle. The vehicle can also be
controlled from a cell phone through
the OnStar mobile app. See
www.onstar.com for coverage maps.
Hands-Free Calling
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Dial.”System responds:
“Please say the name or number
to call.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing, including a “1”and the
area code. System responds:
“OK calling.”
Retrieve My Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “My Number.” System
responds: “Your OnStar
Hands-Free Calling number is.”
End a Call
PushX. System responds: “Call
ended.”
Store a Name Tag for Speed
Dialing
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Store.” System responds:
“Please say the number you
would like to store.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing. System responds:
“Please say the name tag.”
4. Pick a name tag. “System
responds: ”About to store
5. Say “Yes”or“No” to try again.
System responds: “OK, storing
Place a Call Using a Stored
Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Call
responds: “OK, calling
Verify Minutes and Expiration
PushXand say “minutes” then
“verify” to check how many minutes
remain and their expiration date.
OnStar Mobile App
With an iPhone®or
Android™-based mobile device,
an OnStar mobile app can be
downloaded. The vehicle can be
remote started, if equipped, or the
doors can be unlocked from
anywhere there is cell phone
service. It can also check the fuel
level, tire pressure, and oil life.
It can connect to an OnStar Advisor
anytime. For OnStar mobile app
compatibility or further information,
see www.onstar.com.
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
HeaterEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Indicator Code Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Owner Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35 Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Panel
Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
K
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-40
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31 Lamps (cont'd)
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-13
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Light StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Lighting Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-16
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
i-10 INDEX
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . 13-7
Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
SeatsAdjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47, 3-49
Security Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Security, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Service Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1 Service (cont'd)
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13-11
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 13-7
Vehicle Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Speed Sensitive Power Steering (SSPS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . 1-3, 9-17
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Storage Load Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Areas Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
System Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-11
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-4
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-11 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-47
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-46
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Sealant and Compressor Kit, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40 Tires (cont'd)
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-56
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Towing General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-77
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-29
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Turn and Lane-Change
Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
U
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
V
Vehicle
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Service Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77